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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24213793">love left on my tongue</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MODERNLAY/pseuds/MODERNLAY'>MODERNLAY</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Hollow (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Beaches, M/M, Oceans, Slightly - Freeform, Surfing, also the ending might be short but its also 4am so like no thoughts head empty, i like. its 4am i genuinely cannot tag this because i dont know what happens., kai is my big boy projecting character what about it, kai's got the big boy depression but i wont say it outloud, lots of oceans and beaches, this might be a Little ooc i dunno, vague allusions of wanting to die, vague references to depression</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:35:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,841</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24213793</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MODERNLAY/pseuds/MODERNLAY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>the ocean has always felt more like a home to kai than his house.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adam &amp; Mira (The Hollow), Adam/Kai (The Hollow)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>197</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>love left on my tongue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>please read the tags that basically sums up like everything </p><p>used all my brain power to write the rest of this may delete it in the morning if i think the ending falls short to make it sound better will keep you updated anyway thats all the words i have</p><p>title from got my way by moontower LISTEN TO IT</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kai feels like he’s going to choke.</p><p>	He’s ankle deep in ocean water, feet sunk deep into the sand. The sun is setting and he should probably be making his way back inside the house, but inside he’s parents are probably screaming at each other. So he stays standing, letting the water rush over his ankles. It’s starting to get chilly and the sky is painted shades of pink and purple. The sun has almost completely vanished, the moon beginning to take its place.</p><p>	Kai thinks he could live out here forever.</p><p> </p><p>	Kai would rather be anywhere right now but home.<br/>

The house is open—it echoes, and Kai can hear his parents shouting at each other from his room. If he tip toes, he thinks he can make it around the kitchen where his parents won’t notice him and sneak out of the house.<br/>

It’s a successful leave. Kai’s is quick on his feet and light on his toes; he grabs his sneakers and slips out the small crack of the door he had opened. He slips his Converse on when he’s outside and finds his bike. There’s a beach not too far from his house and it seems better than the beach in his backyard. Even though it’s public, it’s relatively quiet. Kai’s been to it a few times; he knows very few people linger there—just a few surfers and a few locals every once and awhile.<br/>

Kai slips his shoes off, tossing them by his bike. He knows he’s going to get sunburnt (with his stupid red hair and lack of sunscreen), but he doesn’t care. Kai gets knee deep into the water before he stops. The beginning of his shorts get hit by water and he stumbles before he gets sturdy footing. Kai’s focused on the horizon; the setting sun that’s still rather high in the sky. It’s not getting cold yet, but he knows it will once the sun is down. It always does.<br/>

He stands there for what feels like hours and maybe it is hours. The sun has set more when he’s tapped on the shoulder by someone.<br/>
“Hey, man, you good?” the boy asks. He looks to be around the same age as Kai. His skin is dotted with salt and his hair curls on his forehead and around his ears, still soaking from the ocean water. He’s very pretty, Kai thinks. He’s in a black and blue wetsuit and he screams surfer.<br/>

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine,” Kai blinks, clenching and unclenching his fingers. He regains his surroundings, feeling the water slosh around his thighs. He pops his fingers, focusing on the boy in front of him.<br/>

“Cool, cool. You’ve just been out here for a bit. Like, ever since my friend and I have been out here,” the boy says.<br/>

“Oh, uh, how long’s that?”<br/>

“Little over an hour,” the boy says. Kai’s eyes widen and he huffs out a light laugh. He’d tuned the whole world out for a damn hour, huh?<br/>

“Mira and I,” the boy points to a girl on the beach wringing out her hair, “just kept an eyes on you. You seemed out of it and we were a little worried.”<br/>

“Uh, yeah. Sorry ‘bout that. I’m fine,” Kai says.<br/>

“I’m Adam.”<br/>

“Kai.” Adam sticks his hand out for Kai to shake. Adam’s grasp is firm and tight—it feels like Kai’s father’s business handshake he’d taught Kai when he was fourteen. It reminds Kai that he has to go home, and that’s the last thing he wants to do right now.<br/>

“You gonna head home, Kai?” Adam asks, a small smile on his face. Kai can feel the salt that’s caked on his face and the salt stuck in his hair. He should go home.<br/>

“Guess so.”<br/>

“Well, I hope to see you around, Kai. We’re usually here every Friday and Saturday,” Adam says casually. </p><p>	“Cool, cool. I’ll definitely be seeing you then.” And it sounded like a date.</p><p> </p><p>	Saturday afternoon, Kai is out of his house in a heartbeat. His parents are gone on a business trip to Bali, so Kai had the empty house to himself. Well, Davis was there, too, but he was overbearing most times. Kai loved Davis and Davis felt more like a parent than his real ones ever did, but he needed a break. He’s on his bike and down the road in record time, making his way to the beach he met Adam.</p><p>	He doesn't know why he came back—Adam was just some random dude he’d met. Some random dude who’d asked if he was okay because he was staring at the horizon for too long. Whatever. Kai can do what he wants, and if he wants to see this stranger again, he will. Maybe he’ll even meet the girl this time!</p><p>	The beach is almost empty when Kai arrives, There’s a few scattered bodies here and there, but most are lounging on the beach rather than in the water. Thankfully, this time, Kai wore swim trunks and an old t-shirt. His soft and worn blue Voltron t-shirt still fits him, even four years later. He tosses his bike on the sand, slipping his flip flops off, and then does a quick look around for Adam and Mira. When he doesn’t seem to see them, he makes way into the ocean, floating on his back. </p><p>	“Hey, space cadet,” Kai hears. When he peels his eyes open, he sees Adam. He’s dressed in a wetsuit and on top of a surfboard; Kai was right, he is a surfer. </p><p>	“Hey,” Kai says, fixing his floating stance to where he’s standing. </p><p>	“You’re not standing ominously in the ocean today,” Adam says, giving a little laugh. Kai lets out of a huff of a laugh.</p><p>	“Yeah. Little more present, as I like to say.”</p><p>	“That’s good. Didn’t think you’d come back,” Adam says. </p><p>	“Well, when you live in a big empty house, what’s better than a big empty beach?” Kai says shrugging. </p><p>	“This place isn’t really empty,” Adam points out. </p><p>	“Whatever. You know what I mean,” Kai says, rolling his eyes, a smile playing at his lips. </p><p>	“I do, in fact. That’s why Mira and I come here all the time. It’s always so quiet.”</p><p>	“Yeah! I mean, I’ve only been here a few times, but every time it’s been so nice. Maybe I’m just good at tuning things out,” Kai says, shrugging again. Tuning everything out was a learned ability. He learned it when he was seven and his parents' arguments started carrying into the night when he was trying to sleep. </p><p>	“Seems like a handy skill,” Adam says, smiling. </p><p>	“Can be,” Kai says. “What got you into surfing?”</p><p>	“Oh, uh, my dad used to do it. You ever thought about trying?”</p><p>	Kai shrugs. “Not really, but it does seem like it’d be fun. I’m a bit of a klutz, so I don’t think a surfboard and I would mix well.”</p><p>	“Hey, it never hurts to try!” Adam says. “I think I still have my beginner board, if you want to try. Don’t worry about it, though.” </p><p>	“Hm, I’ll think about it. Now go, dude, you came here to surf and you haven’t done it yet,” Kai says, pushing Adam away. Adam laughs a full body laugh, waving at Kai.<br/>
“Wait up for us before you leave!” </p><p> </p><p>	When Kai’s fingertips look like prunes and he thinks his face is more sunburnt than before, he thinks it’s a good time to get out. He wades back to shore, towelling his hair, leaving it in a fluffy state. He spots Adam and Mira still in the ocean, the two sitting on their boards, seemingly making pleasant conversation. Kai remembers how Adam told him to wait for him, so he decides he should. He plays games on his phone until Adam and Mira have made their way back to the beach, where Adam sees Kai and his face lights up.</p><p>	“Hey! I didn’t think you’d actually wait up!” he says, voice delighted.</p><p>	“Well, I am full of surprises,” Kai says, a small smile on his face.</p><p>	“I was actually gonna give you my number! You know, if you ever think my offer through,” Adam says. Kai nods, opening his measly looking contacts list. Mira is wringing her electric blue hair out on the sand, soaking the little place she’s standing over.</p><p>	“Oh, uh, cool hair,” Kai says. She grins.</p><p>	“Thanks! Did it myself,” Mira says. She seems proud that she did a dye job and made it look so good and, frankly, Kai’s impressed. Mira looks nice. She’s a sturdily built woman and she would be taller than Kai if she stood next to him. If Kai is being honest with himself, she’s a little intimidating. </p><p>	Adam passes Kai’s phone back to him and then ruffles his hair. Kai tries to dodge it a little too late and Adam gives him a little smile. </p><p>	“I’ll see ya ‘round, space cadet.”</p><p> </p><p>	Summer fucking sucks.</p><p>	It’s always been Kai’s least favorite season. His house is either filled with his parents arguing or the house is empty and quiet. But the plus side of the summer is that he can always go to the beach and he can stay there for hours. Hours and hours and hours of just standing at the beach, floating in the water aimlessly. He’s done it every summer, ever since he was fourteen years old—which in retrospect isn’t long, considering he’s only seventeen, but it’s felt like a century. </p><p>	Kai’s in the garden with his mother; she’s picking strawberries while he reads while he reads under the veranda. It’s the most peaceful he thinks it’s ever been in awhile. His father is off at work, but his mother took off because she was ‘sick’. Kai’s always preferred his mother. He remembers when he was younger, when they went to movies, he would curl up on her lap and drift off to sleep, hands curled in her soft dresses. When they went to restaurants, he would sit beside her and she would order for him when he was too shy, while his father glared. Her voice is soft, sweet like honey, and soothing to the ears. She would read him bedtime stories, attempting to do the character voices which ended with both of them giggling. That was before his parents were on a trip every week and before they started fighting. </p><p>	“How’s your book?” she asks, walking up onto the veranda, her basket of strawberries under her arm. </p><p>	“Good,” he says, putting a bookmark in it. </p><p>	“So, I was thinking since your father is gone, we could have a movie night and I could make dinner. Like we used to,” she says, sitting down on the chair that’s at the otherside of the little round glass table. </p><p>	“That would be nice,” Kai says. His mom smiles and gives him a soft okay, before she picks up the basket of strawberries and kisses the top of his head. He sits in the chair for a few minutes, staring out at the little garden, and feels nothing. He doesn’t feel happy, but he doesn’t feel sad; he’s going to have ‘family’ dinner with his mom, but it’s not going to feel like it did when he was young. </p><p>	That sounds sad, he thinks. </p><p> </p><p>	Dinner is quiet.</p><p>	Kai and his mother chat very little. When they do it’s about school and if Kai is having a good summer so far. They don’t talk about how he disappears from the house for hours at a time sometimes; where he goes or why. She probably knows why. When it comes to the movie part of the night, they can’t agree on the thing to watch. His mom wants to watch some Tarantino movie she’s seen a million times and Kai wants to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel. </p><p>	They end up choosing The Grand Budapest Hotel because his mom says this night is more about him than her. That makes him feel something, and he doesn’t know if the emotion is quite pleasant or not. </p><p>	They sit in silence as the movie plays and when it’s over, they say I love you and go to their separate rooms.</p><p> </p><p>	Next Friday, Kai is at the beach once again. </p><p>	He ended up never texting Adam, he’d just laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling or the wall. He’d play video games if he felt like getting out of his bed, but nothing is like going to the beach. Nothing beats that. That’s the only that Kai has really felt up for in the last few days, and really the month as a whole. Going to the beach and just floating in the water—feeling like he is infinite. </p><p>	That’s where he is now. In the water, letting the waves move him, feeling infinite. At this point, he doesn’t really care if Adam or Mira shows up because this solace is nice. Yes, he thrives on social interaction, but he’s also awkward and clumsy in a conversation. It was sort of like a curse, if he was being honest. </p><p>	But floating in the ocean is where Adam finds him god knows how long later. </p><p>	“Space cadet!” Adam cheers. He’s lacking a board and Mira today, simply in swim trunks and a ratty old t-shirt. He’s treading water in front of Kai, a large smile on his face. Adam is always smiling, Kai has noticed. It makes his stomach feel warm. But there’s something about Adam that already makes Kai’s face go red in a blush and his stomach feel warm and body go into tingles, where he feels like jell-o and he’ll fall at any minute; there’s already the pin-point feelings of a crush forming there for a boy Kai barely even knows.</p><p>	“I’m starting to think you forgot my real name,” Kai says, letting a small grin creep in.</p><p>	“How could I ever! It’s Kai!” Adam says. Kai feels his cheeks warm up. It’s the point of recognition, the thing about being known—something about that does something to him.</p><p>	“Oh. Then why do you always call me space cadet, huh?” Kai asks. </p><p>	“Because when I first saw you, you looked like you were in outer space. Must’ve been in your own noggin’ with the way you were looking out there,” Adam says.</p><p>	“And how was that?”</p><p>	“Like you were at peace. Somewhere far, far away from here, that’s for sure.”</p><p>	“Sometimes, I wish I was.” </p><p>	“Why’s that?” Adam asks. There’s a quirk to his brow and a concerned look to his face. </p><p>	“I mean, I don’t think I’d like to exactly be in space, but I also don’t want to sink to the bottom of the ocean, y’know? I want to be somewhere where I can float and just… exist? Sometimes I just think this life isn’t for me and I don’t know why I’m meant to live it,” Kai says.</p><p>	“Feels like a very dodgy answer to the question I asked,” Adam says, swimming closer to Kai. </p><p>	“Dodgy answers from a dodgy person. Wait, that came out wrong,” Kai says. Adam laughs. </p><p>	“Come experience the underworld with me,” Adam says, taking Kai’s hands. Kai raises an eyebrow, but allows himself to be pulled under with Adam.</p><p>	He opens his eyes because he always does when he’s underwater, chlorinated pool or ocean. It’s a bad habit he picked up as a kid and never let die, and he sees Adam simply looking right back at him. The world is drowned out and they’re still holding hands, like Adam doesn’t trust him to stay under if he lets go. Adam moves closer to Kai, his hand finding a place on Kai’s cheek. In one swift movement, Adam’s lips are on Kai’s.</p><p>	Everything slots into place.</p><p>	It feels like a dream sequence. A dream sequence that is so good Kai never wants to wake up. If he is dreaming, don’t pinch him. Kai reciprocates the kiss and the two surface, still kissing. Kai has both of his hands on Adam’s face and when they break apart they stay there, noses and foreheads pressed together. Then they’re kissing again and Kai doesn’t feel like he ever wants to stop. </p><p>	When they make it stumbling to the beach, holding hands loosely and giggling like they’re two schoolgirls who just shared a scandalous secret, they just stand there. Breathlessly and giggling and happy. It’s the best Kai has felt in a while. </p><p>	“Text me,” Adam says, pressing a kiss to Kai’s lips. </p><p>	“Of course,” Kai grins, pressing a chaste kiss to Adam’s lips. It’s dark out, the moon risen and the both of them still have to get home, but they stand there for a few minutes. Adam holding Kai’s arms gently by the elbows and Kai holding Adam’s forearms. Adam moves backwards, hands letting go of Kai’s elbows until they reach his fingertips until they are no longer touching. Adam throws up a wave.</p><p>	“See ya soon, space cadet.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>follow me on tumblr @bloodyknuckles</p></blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
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